The NGO chief produced audio clips at a press conference seeking to prove his charge. “The UP-chief minister is saying that some police officials are not able to stop crime in the state, while the truth is that the police itself is involved in crime,” the NGO head said
Lucknow: Rihai Manch, a human rights voluntary organisation, held a press conference on Saturday demanding action against UP police who threatened one of the NGO’s leaders Rajiv Yadav.
The spokesman, Anil Yadav, said that the general secretary and his family’s lives were in danger and the Uttar Pradesh police is threatening those who raise their voice against fake encounters.
“Rihai Manch head Rajiv Yadav claimed he was threatened by the police station in-charge Arvind Yadav at Kandharpur in Azamgarh district. He alleged the officer was involved in a fake encounter,” the statement by the spokesman said.
“The UP police will be fully responsible in case anything happens to me,” Rajiv said.
The NGO leader produced audio clips at a press conference seeking to prove his charge. “The UP-chief minister is saying that some police officials are not able to stop crime in the state, while the truth is that the police itself is involved in crime,” the leader said.
A number of police officers are mocking the law by behaving like ‘Singham and `Chulbul Pandey, he said referring to fictional policemen in two movies.
Rihai Manch spokesperson Anil Yadav demanded that the concerned police officers should be shifted out in cases where probes are on into alleged fake encounters to ensure impartiality. He said the presence of the Kandharpur police station in-charge Arvind Yadav in the district may also influence an investigation there.
“Police atrocities in the state have virtually reached their peak and there is an atmosphere of fear and insecurity in the state,” the spokesperson said.
On raising the question of fake encounters, the release was released by General Secretary Rajiv Yadav, who said that “On July 5, at around 10 pm, I received a call from Arvind Yadav’s CUG number 9454402912 from Kandharpur police station in Azamgarh. He threatened me and abused my mother. He also threatened to file a false case against us.”
The press statement said that the police threatened the lawyer Farman Naqvi in the Muzaffarnagar Furqan fake encounter case and the case was dismissed without the family’s approval. Another constable made a lawyer run for his life and beat him up.
Those who addressed the media at the Lucknow Press Club included S.R. Darapuri, retired IG of Police, Uttar Pradesh; Syed Wasim Ahmad, retired DIG, Uttar Pradesh; Senior Journalist Sharad Pradhan; Eminent Rights activist Arundhati Dhruv; Rihai Manch president Advocate Mohammad Shoaib and general secretary Rajeev Yadav.
On 6th July, Rajeev wrote to Director General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh and provided him with a full transcript of his conversation with the cop. Rajeev also sent the letter to Chief Justice of India, Governor, Uttar Pradesh, Chief Secretary and Home Secretary of Uttar Pradesh and NHRC.
In the letter, Rajeev said that the cop abused him and threatened to pick him from home.
In his complaint, Rajeev said: “He had issued a press release on the basis of his conversation with victim families of Azamgarh encounter and the recent Supreme Court notice to the Uttar Pradesh government over the encounters.”
“From the way the caller threatened to file a case against me and to stop the voice of protest forever, it seems that the caller can kill anyone, otherwise he would not have threatened to pick me from home. I am terrified by the threat that anyone from the police can kill me anytime. It is, therefore, necessary in the interest of justice to take notice of the threat and order a departmental and criminal inquiry against the caller,” said Rajeev.
The Manch also demanded the removal of the police officers allegedly involved in the encounters which are being probed, saying that without it, an impartial probe is impossible.
At the press conference, transcription of the threat call by the cope was released and complaints of victim families and transcription of their talks with Rajeev Yadav were also released. The families have made serious allegations against the cop.
Addressing the press conference, S.R. Darapuri, former I.G. of Uttar Pradesh police, said: “In the entire country, social workers and human rights activists are being terrorized in a planned way. On one hand, Sudha Yadav who has been fighting for poor tribals and other Dalit-tribal activists are being branded naxals. On the other, Rihai Manch leader Rajeev Yadav is being threatened. Such attacks on human rights activists are attacks on democracy and we will protest against them.”
Retired DIG Syed Wasim Ahmad said that the threat to Rajeev is just a sample, and one can imagine how terrified victim families are.
Senior journalist Sharad Pradhan said, “The Uttar Pradesh police have become a threat to freedom of speech and expression. They seem to be hell-bent on suppressing the voices being raised against them.”
With inputs from PTI